A collaboration system provides collaboration of business objectives in a supply chain network. Collaboration systems enable users to collaborate in the creation of documents and other electronic records. Collaboration technologies deliver the functionality for many entities to enhance common deliverable information. Such collaboration systems include telephone, e-mail, synchronous conferencing, instant messaging, faxing, voice mails, video conferencing, and the like. Collaboration tools facilitate and manage group activities. Examples of collaborative tools include electronic calendars, work flow systems, knowledge management, project management, online documents and the like.
Existing collaboration systems enable exchange of information between two or more entities such as suppliers and customers and altering one or more components of business process. Examples of business processes include development of an idea, creation of a design, outsourced production or the like. Suppliers and customers may want to closely integrate and co-ordinate with each other for a product development and production. The collaboration system helps entities integrate their business process and create additional value through integration. There is a need for the entities to react in sufficient time on components in a business process that are missing or products whose yield is low. Therefore, a system is required for providing a difference between an actual product specification and a required production process specification In addition, the system must enable the entities to negotiate on the specification and reach an agreement based upon the negotiation.